I used to be an insurance adjuster during catastrophes, I bet they're busy in Arkansas right now! I hope your 10g survives, I would keep up small water changes on a daily basis for a while, something that stressful can cause dormant things to come up to the surface. Kind of like how you always have viruses in your body, but it only hits you full strength if you get stressed out. At least that's what I would do.

Whenever I run my Magnum 330 once a month, that has intake and outflow right next to each other, intake tube is down, outflow elbows to the side, you get circulation all around, I can't see how yours would be any different, but I'm not a 24/7 canister guy.

As far as Plecos go, I think I would check out Aqualand Pets Plus, they have a lot of Pleco information.